1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to flashlights and more particularly to compact, disposable-type flashlights that are operated by squeezing a case of the flashlight.
2. Prior Art
Compact, disposal-type flashlights are well known and have been available for a number of years.
One early disposable-type flashlight is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,869. This flashlight includes a switch wire which may be pressed against an uninsulated can of one of two batteries to close an electrical circuit of the flashlight. This circuit includes a bulb having two lead wires welded respectively to a positive terminal of one battery and a negative terminal of the other battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,352 discloses the first inventive flashlight of the inventor of a herein disclosed still further improved lighting instrument. The bulb of this flashlight also has two lead wires. A first lead wire is attached by a solder joint to a positive front terminal end of one battery while the second lead wire functions as a switch. Compression of a case of the flashlight bends the second lead wire to engage a connector strap and close a circuit of the flashlight to energize the bulb.
A second inventive flashlight from this inventor is set out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,140. In this flashlight one of the two bulb lead wires is bent forward over the bulb. Compression of the flashlight case presses one arm of a U-shaped spring switch into contact with this forward bent lead wire to close a circuit on the flashlight and connect the batteries with the bulb.